PAM and the Community Bands of Taytay, Rizal

Grateful for the warm welcome from our hosts in the municipality of Taytay in Rizal province, just outside Metro Manila. University of the Philippines College of Music’s Jocelyn “Joy” Timbol-Guadalupe connected me with the Tourism Office of Taytay, headed by Roel Supendio. Taytay has a a long-standing tradition of community bands, with Banda Malaya Uno being the first one from 1875 (yes, that’s 151 years and pre-dating the Katipunan). Joy and her husband Dino arranged for a lay forum with members from seven Taytay bands on Saturday, May 9, 2026. We had over 60 musicians, majorettes, and color guard members who ranged from 9 to 76 years old in the audience. Dr. Ma. Carissa “Issa” Abelita from the Philippine General Hospital Department of Rehabilitation Medicine tagged along for moral and exercise demonstration support, since there weren’t any patients scheduled that afternoon at our usual second-Saturday-of-the-month Performing Arts Medicine clinic. All in all, it was a good afternoon of learning for everyone – including myself! Looking forward to further collaboration in the future.